A transnational criminal organization, whose members were active in the constantly unlawful distribution of immigrants and forgery of documents, was abducted by police officers from the Attica Aliens Management Department.

8 arrests – among them the leader

To end their action, a large -scale Actionday in the Attica area was held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, in which 8 members of the criminal organization were arrested, including the leader.

5 identified members in the case file

At the expense of them, as well as at the expense of another 5 identified members, a case file was filed for – where appropriate – establishment and participation in a criminal organization, violating the provisions on facilitating illegal entry, exit and residence of foreigners, forgery, as well as for violating the laws on money laundering.

A long -term police investigation was preceded by Europol and the US Federal Services. CBP, HSI and FBI, in which the multifaceted action of the criminal organization was demonstrated:

  • the illegal movement of immigrants from Turkey to Greece,
  • hiding the newcomers of immigrants in a house used as a Safe House,
  • organizing secondary promotions from Greece to other European countries by air,
  • the professional drawing up of fake documents used for illegal trafficking of immigrants,
  • The marketing of counterfeit documents to other criminal networks operating in Greece as well as in other EU countries. and the US and
  • The functioning of a state -of -the -art laboratory for the training of counterfeit documents as well as a labyrinthine network distribution network with fake documents, concealing the details of the real distributors and using fake elements of “barriers” elements.

How did they act – the “Tariff”

More specifically, members of the criminal organization, at least since 2020, have been systematically organizing illegal promotions of immigrants. from Turkey to Greece, mainly through Evros to Athens, charging 4,000 euros per person.

They then arranged for their short-term hospitality in a safe apartment (Safe-House) in the Omonia region, as well as their subsequent promotion to European countries, through air flights, using fake travel documents.

In support of their action, they maintained a state -of -the -art professional production laboratory for fake documents in a home in the area of Agios Panteleimonas, with special equipment and materials, which provided the possibility of mass training of counterfeit documents, consisting – among other things – of specialized professional printing equipment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFDYR4GDBSQ

Indicatively, a large amount of raw materials, such as -33- pages of individual elements and photos of passports of various countries, -162- internal passport pages of various countries, -1.289- Cover of Passports from Dermatin with printed elements and signals of the elements and the signals of the stamps and the signals Passports of various countries etc.

Particularly characteristic of the professionalism of the members of the organization was the disposition of fake travel documents and to immigrants-“customers”, which were located other European countries (mainly Germany, France, Italy, Spain), the United Kingdom and the United States of America, in which they do not.

At the same time, they had other forgery and raw materials (mainly gelatins with the safety of the respective genuine documents, pages and passport covers ready to use with the plans and signals of the corresponding genuine documents of various countries) that are necessary for the drafting of fake documents.

Furthermore, to cover their illegal acts, they used a “showcase” store with a alleged travel agency and money transfer. Through it, dozens of suspicious parcels with fake documents to European Union and the United States of America were distributing the facts.

It is noted that the leader also served as a forgotter, while another member of the organization, which is among the detainees, was the operating officer of the fake document distribution center, postal, to the countries of the European Union and the United States of America.

As part of the business, a total of -5 – surveys were carried out in houses and -1 – in a professional area, where the full laboratory of fake documents was identified and seized.

Indeed, during the development of the operation, two foreigners – candidates for illegal promotion were identified, who were arrested as they were deprived of travel documents and the process of returning to their countries of origin are moving against them.

What was found in investigations

Overall, in addition to the laboratory equipment (computers, printers, plasticizer, a number of tools and stationery, etc.), the surveys were found and confiscated:

-68.605 -euro, -890 Swiss francs and $ 100 US,
-25- passports of different countries,
-14- Identity Bulletin of various countries ready for disposal,
-4- residence permits of different countries,
-4- driving capacity licenses,
-195- internal passport pages with details and photos of holders of various countries,
-593- gelatins carrying iridescent security elements of the respective genuine documents of various countries,
-1289- Passport covers ready to use the signals of the respective documents of various countries,
-20- mobile phones,
-15- grams of drug drug,
-5,000-grams of unknown white dust composition that can be used in drug adulteration as well as
-2- cars and -1- motorcycle.

Seized over 2,000 fake documents, with an estimated value of over 1,200,000 euros

It is noteworthy that, from investigations in Greece and abroad, a total of 2,168 fake travel documents, in traffic and non -parcels of more than € 1,227,000 and $ 48,000, pledged.

It should be noted that this company was implemented in the context of the preparation of the National Business Plan (ESA) and the EMPACT 2.2 EAST Med action of the European Union Policy cycle that is leading our country.

The company was attended by the Europol expert, the US CBP expert. At Europol, specialist researchers at the HSI and FBI offices of the US Embassy as well as a special fbi Miami researchers in the US, in order to assist in analyzing the information that has emerged and the further exchange of information.

The detainees were taken to the competent prosecutor, while the confiscated digital evidence and documents will be investigated laboratory in the Criminal Investigations Directorate.